An attacker that can send mail to a user can craft a message header that makes the IMAP THREAD command consume CPU disproportionate to the size of the message. When a mail client issues a THREAD command on the affected mailbox, this can cause degradation or denial of service for IMAP. Monitor system for abnormal CPU usage, kill the offending process and remove the offending message from the affected mailbox.
Update to non-vulnerable version. No publicly available exploits are known.
Attack Parameters
Attack Vector
Network
Can be exploited remotely
Attack Complexity
Low
Easy to exploit
Privileges Required
None
No privileges needed
User Interaction
Required
User action required
Impact Assessment
Confidentiality
None
No data leak
Integrity
None
No data modification
Availability
High
Complete denial of service
CVSS Vector v3.1